Over time, the Pizza Stone will "season" as it turns brown and darkens, however it is best not to wash the Stone, but instead simply scrape off any residue, brush it clean, and wipe off any excess. If a manufactured Stone is used for baking, follow the manufacturer's instructions for seasoning the Stone in order to keep it from breaking apart as it is exposed to high heat. When baking, it is normally best to place the Stone on the lowest shelf in the preheated oven set at 400ºF for 30 minutes or slightly longer prior to baking the pizza. As the Stone becomes warm it is then ready to evenly distribute the heat to the food when it is placed on the Pizza Stone for baking.